How to handle a video or television interview

February 22, 2013

For most small companies, the opportunity to appear on TV is not high. However, with the Internet becoming a part of everyone’s lives, there is definitely a good chance that you will have the opportunity to be interviewed and be on video.

Here are some tips:

1. Plan your time. Make sure that you are not scheduled for anything stressful before or after your interview. Rushing to the interview really does not help, and being anxious for it to end is probably worse. You need to be relaxed and at ease. So, be early, and make sure you have plenty of time “after”.

2. Be groomed. Check with your interviewer if there is any specific dress code. Also, this is a bad time to have a “bad hair day”. Make up, hair, clothes; you need to be immaculate.

3. Equipment check. Make sure that the people doing the interview check the equipment. Camera, lights, microphone, even the chair. You really don’t want it squeaking each time you move. And of course, your cell phone need to be OFF or completely SILENT. Really. Vibrate mode can be quite loud if you are in a quiet studio.

4. Always on. Make sure that you are always on your best behaviour. Never assume that the camera is off. Even if they tell you “you’re off the air”, the camera might stil be rolling. Don’t be the next YouTube sensation, flopping onto your knees after an exhausting “filming session”.